Montel Williams show to feature Ex-facts?

"Christian Post" reports that Alan Chambers, the president of Exodus International, a so-called "ex-gay" group, will soon be appearing on the Montel Williams Show, and that he's an "ex-gay" person himself.

(*Yawn*) This man is the President of Exodus International. He's professionally "ex-gay". You'll have to forgive me for questioning the legitimacy of his claim (Was he ever actually gay? Is he really straight?) given that the way he makes his living, he can't say otherwise without losing his job. But let's take his claim that he was gay at face value for a moment. The truth is, he won't, when asked in detail, say that he has actually rid himself of desire for men. (Doesn't sound very ex-gay to me.) I guess I should feel sad for him.

Exodus also doesn't seem like the most trustworthy organization to me. While they claim that gay and lesbian people should not be treated unkindly or with harsh language while Exodus tries to tell them they're sinners and must be changed (which seems an oxymoron in itself to me, but nevertheless), Mr. Chambers participates in anti-gay events in which the harshest language is used.

Further, Exodus's web site doesn't seem to be entirely forthcoming. It claims:

Exodus is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian organization promoting the message of Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.

Since 1976, Exodus has grown to include over 120 local ministries in the USA and Canada. We are also linked with other Exodus world regions outside of North America, totaling over 150 ministries in 17 countries.

Really? How interesting. I notice that they don't mention that in 1979, one of Exodus's founders, Michael Bussee, quit the group and held a "life commitment ceremony" with his boyfriend Gary Cooper, or that he now states his belief that Exodus doesn't work.

Some remarks from the Chairman of the Board of Exodus:

Exodus International spokesman John Paulk said that in the 21-year history of the organization, they have not come to a definitive statement about what they consider success to be. "That's something Exodus at large is wrestling with," said Paulk. "In the next couple of years we want to develop a uniform definition for what we consider to be change." Paulk, a former drag queen married to a former lesbian, is quick to add that he feels the goal should be heterosexuality, not just celibacy. "At the onset, Exodus did not know whether orientation change was even possible," says Paulk. "But what we've seen in the latter 10 years is that more and more and more people - their orientation is changing and they are marrying."

Wait a minute - After over two decades, Exodus hadn't even defined what it means to be ex-gay, yet they're going around telling people that they can be changed from gay to straight by the power of Christ? It sure sounds to me like they're trying to avoid admitting to a low (or nonexistant?) success rate by refusing to define what constitutes success.

But of course, in 2000 Paulk was seen and photographed in a Washington, DC area gay bar trying to chat up the patrons. (Interestingly, Wikipedia states that he was fired by Focus on the Family. Does this mean that Exodus is really just a puppet of FOTF? And why wouldn't they want to keep him on and help him and give him therapy in a spirit of Christian kindness if they really believe people can change their sexual orientation?) Oh yes, and his "ex-lesbian" wife admitted that she never actually partipated in any actual lesbianism, she just thought about it for a few months during college and that was it.

But back to the Christian Post article...

The subject matter has received much attention more recently following statements from former National Association of Evangelical (NAE) head Ted Haggard affirming that he was “completely heterosexual.” Haggard had resigned after a former male prostitute alleged the pastor paid him for sex and methamphetamines for three years.

Funny how they don't mention that ex-gay ministries have always said that transforming from gay to straight is a long process that usually takes years, but that Haggard supposedly did it in two weeks. I guess he had a lot of incentive, seeing how he makes his living as a right wing fundamentalist Christian minister, that after so many years in the ministry he probably doesn't have other job skills, and that he has a family to support who would no doubt sue him into the ground in divorce court if he didn't "convert". But maybe I'm just being cynical for imagining that there are financial reasons behind his claim to heterosexuality.

Many non-Christians argue that gays do not just become heterosexual. They say that attempts at eliminating gay tendencies are harmful to individuals and simply not effective.

Many Christians agree with them.

However, Christians, including groups such as Exodus International, testify that there is possibility for change.

The Christian Post's Mr. Jackson should speak for himself. I personally know a lot of Christians who would say that gay people are as God made them and that trying to become straight goes against God's will.

On to yet another "ex-gay":

"People are already heterosexual - physiologically, anatomically and biologically," Tim Wilkins, a former homosexual, explained to The Christian Post.

Of course, the article fails to mention that Mr. Wilkins is a professional "ex-gay" minister. It also fails to mention that Mr. Wilkins has admitted that he has not "cured" himself of homosexuality, and that he still lives with gay desires and is merely acting out the part of heterosexuality.

Mr. Wilkins's remarks continue:

"My point being that same-sex attraction is a temptation. We are not exempt from temptation in this life."

Gentle heterosexual readers, I ask you: how often do you feel "tempted" to have sex with someone of your own gender? Never? I thought so.

Other guests on the Montel Williams show include former homosexuals Tom and Donna Cole, who also work with ministry to help Christians struggling with sexual and relational issues.

Yup, that's right... the rest of the "ex-gay" people who will appear are professionally "ex-gay" too.

You know, there's a word for a person who enjoys sex with people of their own gender, and later decides that they want to exclusively be heterosexual and is happy that way... They're called "bisexual".

Anti-gay "Christians" dodge the facts about psychologists

Lillian Kwon, of the "Christian Post", also makes the false assertion that the American Psychological Association was pressured by "homosexual groups" PFLAG and NGLTF. As a reminder, PFLAG is a heterosexual group (primarily at least, that's the point), and as previously mentioned here, Ex-Gay Watch contacted the APA and was told that not only were they not pressured, but PFLAG only mentioned the idea in a casual meeting, and NGLTF didn't provide an opinion until they were asked for one. That sure doesn't seem like Ms. Kwon's "years of pressure from homosexual groups" to me.

In fact, Ex-Gay Watch quotes an APA representative as saying that their reason for re-examining their policy is that a "growing body of new research has been published on conversion therapy and a number of other medical and mental health professional associations have released new statements and policies on the issue."

Focus on the Falsehoods

Ex-Gay Watch reports that Focus on the Family has falsely reported that:

Under pressure from homosexual activists, the American Psychological Association (APA) plans to re-examine its policy on therapy for gay men and women seeking change.

As reported by Ex-Gay watch, the reality is that PFLAG (a group of heterosexual people) initially brought up the issue with the APA, and later, according to the APA, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force only provided an opinion to the APA when the APA requested it.

Wow. One.

Quick! Stop the presses! Catholic World News is reporting on a guy in Italy who claims he used to be homosexual and was converted through the power of the Bible!

Waitaminnit... one guy in Italy claims that he used to be gay (of which I have no substantiation) and is now straight (of which I have no substantiation), and this is news? I thought these people were claiming this is a perfectly reasonable expectation, and that gay people can change... why is it worldwide news when one person claims to have made this supposedly reasonable change?

Hmm... could it be because it doesn't really happen? Even accepting on the face of it that Catholic World News believes reported honestly (in that they are honestly reporting the man's claim) I'm still not buying that it actually happened. Of course, this is the United States, where one can't seem to find an "Ex-gay" person who isn't employed by a right wing religious organization and/or doesn't admit that they still have homosexual feelings and desires but are merely acting out the part of being heterosexual.